EASY Participant Information

The most common infection requiring treatment with antibiotics, in babies aged 1 to 3 months is a urinary tract infection (UTI). These infections usually respond quickly to antibiotic treatment but can be difficult to diagnose.  When doctors are unsure if there is a UTI, they often give intravenous antibiotics until the results of the laboratory tests for infection are available, which is typically 36 to 48 hours later.

Research has shown that babies aged between 1 and 3 months who appear well and have reassuring results from the rapid blood tests can be treated with oral antibiotics.  Likewise, several international guidelines have been published that recommend oral antibiotics as first-line treatment for infants with a suspected UTI.

The aim of the EASY study is to determine if babies with a suspected UTI can be treated with oral antibiotics whilst they wait for their laboratory results. This approach has the potential to reduce the need for painful procedures such as injections, reduce hospital admissions with its associated stress for parents/guardians and reduce healthcare costs.  We aim to recruit just under 600 patients to the study over the next three years from hospitals across the UK.